When less is not more

There has been plenty of dance in Sydney this year. Some of it has been good and some has been seriously disappointing. Highlights and lowlights apart, though, there has been a dawning realisation that not enough of the good dance is being made in NSW.

At the top - in terms of company size, talent and financial support - the results are terrific. Sydney Dance Company's Underland, choreographed by New Yorker Stephen Petronio in Graeme Murphy's absence on sabbatical, was an exhilarating showcase for familiar dancers. Bangarra Dance Theatre's Bush, choreographed by Stephen Page and Frances Rings, was memorable for its thoughtfulness and striking images.

Among the independent dancers, where the financial resources are minimal, there have been hardworking and committed spirits at Omeo Dance - though their chief activist, Ros Crisp, is now based in Paris, where she feels her work is better appreciated. Among a few outstanding individuals, Indian classical dancer Anandavalli retired from performance in a vibrant farewell, though she will still direct her Lingalayam Dance Company. Albert David and his own dancers made a vivid debut in a blend of modern and traditional Torres Strait Islander dance. Jason Pitt lived up to earlier promise in choreographing Tarkett for the Bondi Ballet.

But the middle ground is mostly missing or dodgy in quality terms. One Extra Dance, which was founded on the creative drive of choreographer Kai Tai Chan, has never equalled its early contributions since it became a curatorial company. This could be a problem of structure and heart; it is certainly not due to a lack of effort, determination to succeed or new ventures such as involvement in presenting dance films.

Happily, One Extra's final program for 2003 - a double bill of choreography by Narelle Benjamin, Michael Whaites and Michael O'Donoghue - was the best I've seen from the group for years. It coincided with a move back into that stalwart dance venue, the Performance Space; the combination may be a good omen.

One of the most enjoyable dance events of the year made it into the "quality" category due to its skilful presentation and robust theatricality. Black Grace, from New Zealand, was so much fun and so rigorously prepared that it delighted newcomers to dance and aficionados equally.

Riverside Theatres in Parramatta presented Black Grace along with two other strong dance groups - Expressions Dance Company from Brisbane in Virtually Richard3 and a tango ensemble from Argentina - to make it one of the livelier mainstream dance venues in Sydney.

The Studio at the Sydney Opera House is also doing its bit to expand the dance scene. Its ambitious program started erratically but finished with some good ones: a new generation of tap dancers, BPM Beats Per Minute, Gideon Obarzanek's short but memorable Crowds and a double bill by Lucy Guerin.

Next door, in the Drama Theatre, Sydney-based physical theatre company Legs on the Wall combined with a Canadian group for a memorable show, Flying Blind.

And, of course, the Melbourne-based Australian Ballet (AB) was resident in the Opera Theatre for several months of the year, as well as doing an extra program at the Capitol Theatre. The AB was dancing so well in the triple bill in November - particularly in Stephen Baynes's Molto Vivace and Stanton Welch's Velocity - that I would prefer to forget the lesser experiences of The Three Musketeers and some inappropriate principal casting in Romeo and Juliet.

People are still talking about Meryl Tankard's Wild Swans from extreme positions of delight and horror. For me, the magic of her inventive theatricality and humour overshadowed storytelling flaws and some less than interesting choreography.

As for the company itself, there are departures that will leave a gap - most notably Simone Goldsmith at the peak of her career - but there is such depth of talent that there should be some exciting discoveries as younger dancers progress.

Having praised more overseas and interstate companies than local groups, it shouldn't be imagined that all the visitors were good. They were not!

Wild Zebras did not deserve its big, non-judgemental audience at the Entertainment Centre, but two other outwardly awful imported shows - constructed on commercial lines and never mind the artistic content - turned out to be worth watching for the sheer grit, skill and heart of their performers: Nutcracker on Ice and African Footprint. Though please don't ask me to go back.

Nothing could save Mark Morris's choreography and company from banality, bar the amusing all-male parody quartet. Such a disappointing New York import by the Sydney Festival - which then made up for it with the delightful Junebug Symphony.

Two other memorable Sydney dance events at the end of the year were unreviewed surprises. On TV, there was the Schools Spectacular, directed by Mary Lopez, which made silk purses out of sows' ears and showcased some genuine talent. And as an audience of one, I was reminded of the pleasures of less being more by the choreography of Russell Dumas danced by Jonathan Sinatra.

Yes, there are some good things happening in dance in Sydney. Just not enough. More, please.